Smyrna times., 1887-02-02
For the Smyrna Times
A Voice From Dover.
NEIDER.

OVERHAULING OUR CORRESPONDENT.
MR.. EDITOR Il noticed in your last
issue that correspondent hailing from
Dover has given you several mislead-
ing statements about the Methodist
minister and the church. Did your
paper only circulate in Dover it would
be waste of your valuable space to re-
ply to it, but as the bulk of your CirCu-
latiOn must be elsewhere, would like,
in Justice to Brother Martindale, to re-
ply to his charge. AS to what he may
or could say about the church itself is
of little importance. But it is different
with the pastor He is in a few weeks
going to IA new charge, and Il false i'm
preston may injure his usefulness to
the people for long time, as it often
takes a long time to live down a false
hood. To meet assertion by counter
assertion is no proof; therefore, lay
before your readers a fetO facts: When
Brother Martindale came to be our
leader, three years ago, he found the
church harmonious and enjoying a
high degree of spirituality, but the
property sadly out Of repair. In fact,
in a most disgracetul condition, owing
to the large drain the Academy had
year after year made upon the re-
sources Of the people and the difference
of opinion among us as to the policy Of
building, repairing, moving the church
elsewhere or building a new chapel
church in the western part of the town,
and our Academy was burdened with
$2l 600 Indebtedness threatening to
swamp it.
In these three years we repaired aud
paid $4,000 for improvements upon the
church and parsonage, and both are in
first-class condition. The Academy has
paid over $ll, 600 of its Indebtedness,
been painted, papered and replastered
throughout and the grounds put in
elegant condition, and the highest
priced property per foot for dwellings
surround its campus. OF the $11 900
Dover paid over $4,000 We have had
three deep permanent revivals, the
present one promising to equal the
other two. The revival of last winter
brought into thechurcn as probationers
about 60 young people. After months
trial the official board very carefully
Il know, being presentl went through
the list dropped but ten, and l doubt
whether ever in the history Of this
church class of so probationers stood
before the altar rail seeking admission
into its membership better instructed
! in Methodism or that have so far ex-
hibited the fruit of pains taxed on the
| part of the pastor and his assistants
for Brother Martindale has held
throughout his entire term weekly SER
vices Saturday afternoons for the bap-
tiZed children and monthly services on
Thursday evening for the young con-
Verts.
The twelve conference collections
are everywhere considered the test of
the spirituality and growth Of a church.
for we give as we are, interested much
or little to cause. Every collection
has shown healthy growth during his
term of Office. He took up the worn
out preachers collection few SUNDAYS
ago, and for the first time that can
now think of the appOrtiOnment $3.50
was raised at the morning session.
Ministers ought to and do get credit
when such grand results are reached
by those who know how money is
! raised in churches.
So far as we can know the future.
Brother Martindale will leave this
church with the warmest affection OF
its people, without dissensiOns OF
schisms among us, and, so far as we can
tell outwardly, the church never was
on higher plane of spiritual advance.
ment. believe l but voice the entire
official board when say fortunate will
that people be who succeed in securing
his services for the next three-veai
term.
ALBERT COWGILL.